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Topic: Manual Defrost Kenmore? (Read 3014 times)

Model: 3638383180 Serial: DO1673275Looked at this fridge today: Complaint was frost build up. It had Frost built up in the freezer about 3-4 inches top, bottom, and back. Door gaskets are good. Defrosted unit and keeps cold great. I looked at parts diagram and see there is a small evaporator heater but can't find any control for defrost. Am I actually looking at a manual defrost unit? There is also a "defrost scraper" on the parts diagram I did find when I defrosted it. I never see manual defrost fridge and freezers so am confused if that is what I'm looking at.Thanks for any advice.

Yeah, I'm confused but I think your onto something. Sears has part #635 as a retainer and #635A as heater evaporator...maybe different unit's per serial number? The part isn't sold anymore but just interested so really kind of a moot point but wondering what the heck I'm missing...I hate not knowing.

I already had an hour and half of steaming and pulling ice chunks out so didn't even bother tearing into it. Figured I would look into it when I had more time but everything I see points me to a manual defrost.

I'm not sure of the age. This is a work order for a property mgmt company so who knows...I was hoping to find a defrost timer, defrost thermostat, or some kind of control and couldn't find any which lead me to believe it's a manual defrost. It's really in good shape and has an economy switch which leads me to believe it's not too old...It has a drain hole from the freezer into the fresh food at top center as well as what appears to be a sheild that may have part of the evaporator in the the fresh food back wall with a drip tray going to a drain line in the back of the fresh food side into a drip pan underneath...never seen this set up...I should have taken pictures...couldn't find any evap. fan either...

Hey buddy, I spent about half an hour and could not find any more info than the other guys. Most of the parts are nla, as u already know. I was more curious as to what swr51x0310, the heater was about. Let us know if u come up with something.

That is a manual defrost unit and that little heater would come on when the cold control would cycle off.It would be like a 40year old G.E with the cooling coils in the fresh food section and they would have 2 gray small rubber looking heaters that would come on when the cold control shut the compressor off.That is what this reminds me of.It only a small heater.Thats what i think.

Ding Ding Ding...that makes sense Dab! The unit looks better than a lot of the 6 year old stuff I see! Thank You!!! What do you think recommend defrost at 6 months or can they go longer? I'm so lost at seeing a manual defrost...still getting ahold of the circuit board troubleshooting of LG's, Samsungs, etc. and walked into this one... ...KISS Method eh!